Sabaody Archipelago, Island 72, Hotel Street.
In the basement of a luxurious villa, Sephiroth stood before a cylindrical glass container. His fingers danced across the control panel beside it. A sharp clack echoed through the room as the glass slid open, releasing a swirling plume of white mist.
A figure emerged—plump, draped in a white robe, with black feathered wings folded against his back. His long, pointed nose and dark hair gave him an almost avian appearance. "Seraphim Hogback 118, entering debug mode."
The moment Sephiroth spoke, the Seraphim's pupils dulled, its body going slack. Its head lolled to the side, exposing a data port at the base of its neck. Without hesitation, Sephiroth plugged in the cable clutched in his left hand, the other end already connected to a specialized debugging terminal. His fingers flew across the keyboard, rewriting lines of code buried deep within the Seraphim's programming.
Years ago, after obtaining the Ope-Ope no Mi and delving into the secrets of the Immortality Surgery, Sephiroth had lured Hogback—the so-called "Genius Surgeon" of West Blue—into his service. The man's greed made him easy prey for the Umbrella Corporation's wealth and influence. Hogback became a high-ranking executive in the Company's medical division, never suspecting his true role.
While Sephiroth pursued his research, Hogback provided invaluable expertise, unaware that his own genetic material was being harvested. Seraphim Hogback 118 was the latest in a long line of clones—the 118th iteration of the same man.
The fate of the previous 117? Each had perished under the scalpel, their sacrifices paving the way for this moment. Two years ago, with Vegapunk's assistance, Sephiroth had finally cracked the final barriers to perfecting the Immortality Surgery. Then came the painstaking process of cultivating this Seraphim from embryo to maturity, accelerated by the Ripe-Ripe Fruit's power.
And all the while, he had fed it the Ope-Ope no Mi, honing its abilities until they were flawless.
Now, as Sephiroth uploaded the accumulated data from every failed experiment into the Seraphim's mind, his breath hitched. "Thirteen years…" he murmured, fingers tightening around the cable. "Finally."
With a decisive yank, he disconnected the line. "Seraphim Hogback 118, exiting debug mode."
The clone's eyes sharpened instantly. Its hand snapped up, fingers splayed. "Room!"
An invisible force erupted outward, swallowing the chamber in its domain. Sephiroth exhaled, deliberately suppressing his Armament Haki. The Ope-Ope no Mi's power took hold, his body unraveling molecule by molecule under the Seraphim's practiced control.
Time stretched. The surgery wasn't painless—each dissection and reconstruction felt like an eternity. When it ended, the Seraphim collapsed, its life force guttering out like a dying candle.
Sephiroth staggered, then steadied himself. "I'm immortal now?" He closed his eyes, probing his own flesh for changes.
He found that other than a continuous surge of immense vitality, there were no other obvious changes. But that was enough. With this inexhaustible life force, he could wield his Devil Fruit's power without restraint.
No longer constrained by the need to conserve his stored lifespan during battles, Sephiroth felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The constant worry about exhausting his reserves in prolonged, high-intensity fights was finally behind him. As his thoughts wandered, his gaze fell upon the lifeless Seraphim sprawled on the ground. He smacked his forehead, a sheepish grin spreading across his face.
"Damn it! I nearly forgot to retrieve the Ope-Ope no Mi..."
With a swift motion, he drew the butcher knife from his waist. Dark red lightning crackled along the blade as he dragged it across the Seraphim's body. Fresh blood gushed forth, pooling in his left hand. With practiced ease, he guided the blood toward a red apple he had prepared earlier. The moment the two made contact, the apple's skin transformed, spiraling patterns emerging as its shape shifted into that of a heart. In mere seconds, an ordinary red apple had become an Ope-Ope no Mi.
Seven days later, at Twin Cape on the Red Line, the sun blazed in a cloudless sky. Crocus, former doctor of the Roger Pirates and current keeper of the Twin Cape lighthouse, lounged on a white beach chair. He leisurely flipped through the latest edition of the World Economic News.
"The Germa Kingdom, leveraging its formidable military might, has invaded the 48th kingdom in the North Blue, solidifying its position as the undisputed overlord of the region. The Vinsmoke Family now stands among the world's foremost royal families..."
"The Big Mom Pirates have unveiled a colossal army, advancing their conquest of the West Blue nations..."
"Blackbeard Teach and Donquixote Doflamingo, two of the Four Emperors, have forged a cooperative alliance..."
"Since the destruction of Holy Land Mary Geoise and the eradication of the Celestial Dragons two years ago, the World Government's prestige and authority have plummeted. The number of member nations has dwindled to a mere twenty-two..."
Crocus pushed up the rimless glasses perched on his nose and sighed deeply. "Ah... The world is engulfed in war and chaos. When will these dark days finally end...?"
"Soon," a voice interrupted his lament. "It will all be over... provided you can hang on for another two years."
Startled, Crocus lowered the newspaper and turned his head. Standing before him was a silver-haired young man draped in a Fleet Admiral's cloak. "Carl D. Sephiroth!?" Crocus shot up from his chair, his expression a mix of unease and wariness as he stared at the Marine before him. Was this the beginning of a crackdown on the remnants of the Roger Pirates?
Sephiroth chuckled, shaking his head in mild irritation. "Old man, take my advice and get out of here—the farther, the better. What's about to happen here is no place for someone of your age."
Without waiting for a response, Sephiroth strode forward, reaching a corner of Twin Cape. He pressed his hand against the Red Line's rocky surface, activating the power of the Float-Float Fruit. An invisible force emanated from Twin Cape, spreading across Reverse Mountain. His goal was clear: to assimilate the world's largest mountain using the fruit's power.
Crocus frowned deeply, utterly baffled by Sephiroth's actions. Yet, aware of the vast power gap between them and the Fleet Admiral's infamous reputation among Pirates, he decided it was best to make a swift exit. Without another word, he turned and fled the scene.
Determined, he sprinted into the Twin Cape lighthouse, hauled out a small boat, and hurled it into the sea. Without hesitation, he leapt aboard, seized the oars, and rowed furiously toward the nearest island, desperate to put distance between himself and the chaos behind him.
Meanwhile, Sephiroth hovered in the air, his Float-Float Fruit powers stretched to their limit. His goal was audacious: to assimilate the entirety of Reverse Mountain and wrench it from its foundations. The severance of the passage between Paradise and the New World had created a logistical nightmare. Though he could ferry troops using his abilities or the Company's aircraft, the disruption was undeniable.
The idea of reconnecting the seas had been gnawing at him. Restoring commerce, trade, and communication was essential. But Reverse Mountain's sheer size made the task daunting. Even with the Float-Float Fruit, the physical toll would be immense.
Golden Lion, the former master of the Float-Float Fruit, had once marveled at Reverse Mountain's scale, admitting it was beyond even his capabilities. Sephiroth had considered the same plan long ago but shelved it—until now. The Immortality Surgery had granted him boundless vitality, and with it, the audacity to revisit his old ambitions.
Hours passed as Sephiroth poured his energy into the task. Finally, the entire Reverse Mountain responded to his will, fully assimilated. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a den den mushi. With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a black bat, positioning the snail's camera lens to capture both himself and the mountain. "Rise," he commanded, his voice low and resonant.
The mountain trembled violently, its foundations groaning under the strain. Deep roars echoed from within, and the air filled with the deafening crack of splitting rock. The seawater cascading down Reverse Mountain was thrown into chaos, surging outward in massive waves that rippled across the ocean.
Several hundred meters from Twin Cape, Crocus froze mid-stroke, his oars hanging limp in his hands. His small boat drifted aimlessly as he stared, wide-eyed, at the impossible sight before him. Reverse Mountain was lifting from the ground, detaching from the Red Line, and ascending into the sky.
The waters of the Four Seas, once funneled upward by Reverse Mountain's guide rails, now surged inward. They rushed to fill the void left by the mountain's removal, converging in a tumultuous frenzy.
Only after completely separating the entire Reverse Mountain from the Red Line and settling it onto the distant sea did Sephiroth release his hold on the Float-Float Fruit. The Four Seas were now seamlessly connected, their waters flowing freely, unobstructed by the Red Line. Passage between them was finally restored.